26/6/2024 |Articles are machine translated
Nobody can see into anybody’s head. However, based on many interviews, one can roughly guess what occupies the brain capacity of automotive managers. We have tried to do so in this issue of Czech Car Industry. And here are our findings. David Kříž, head of Iveco in the Czech Republic, says that as a bus manufacturer he is prepared for all alternatives. So the company must strive to maintain this exclusive position and remain the market leader. Tatra managers are restructuring to increase production capacity to meet growing customer demands. And they also want to get the new Phoenix, which is a stunner among trucks, into series production as soon as possible, again with a unique design. Michal Rychlý is working with his partners to fulfil this ambition, and the BMW Group’s development and testing centre in Sokolov will play a key role in the development of the mobility systems of the future. By the way, a beautiful example of how the new grows out of the old.
So, it seems, no traumatic thoughts. These are the stories of successful companies that we are happy to give space to in the Czech car industry. But the automotive sector is much broader and much more colourful. At least the subconscious of everyone in the sector has been occupied by these three things at the same time in recent weeks and months: the hockey championship, the European elections and tariffs on Chinese cars. That is, of course, leaving aside the evergreens of expensive energy, labour shortages and so on.
We have solved the first one (to our utmost satisfaction, congratulations!). The second one too, actually, but we don’t know what it will bring in the end. We have given the European Parliament elections a lot of space in this issue of the magazine. It is important to know the opinions of managers of one of the most important sectors of the Czech (European) economy. And it is even more important to formulate what preconditions need to be created for it to remain a solid pillar and to convey this view to the new MEPs. Based on an analysis of the current situation, the Automotive Industry Association has prepared a summary of concrete measures for the European legislative period 2024-2029.
It is important to remember that the future of European industry is not just about the Green Deal and electric cars. There is certainly more contentious legislation that could potentially drive manufacturing capacity out of Europe. There is also a third related area, which I am sure some automotive managers are thinking about, and that is tariffs on Chinese imports. The European Commission has been looking into the unauthorised support for Chinese carmakers since October and by the time this issue of the magazine comes out, a decision will have been made. And so the question arises: Who will be hit hardest by the tariffs on Chinese car imports? No one knows the answer at the moment, but I certainly recommend reading The New European Invasion of China. It shows just how intertwined Europe is economically with China, and it also makes one wonder how Chinese the imported Chinese cars actually are.
Have a nice quiet summer and at least a week with a clear head.
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